Design 101: From an “Amateur”
Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator… Oh my! These Adobe programs may seem terrifying to you, all of the different settings and tools can be overwhelming. But as a novice designer and Design Associate with GrandPR, I can promise you they are not as bad as they may seem.
My Background
I came into the Design Associate role even after I made it clear that I had no traditional design training. I dabbled in photography and was on the yearbook staff in high school, but the only Adobe program I have ever used was Photoshop, and that was in ninth grade. This semester I am taking two classes in design, but other than that, I am as amateur as they come.
Where to Begin?
If you don’t have access to Adobe programs, Canva is a great place to start. The website is user-friendly and offers a wide variety of templates perfect for people of various experience levels. If you are comfortable starting from scratch, guides make it easy to space out your elements in an effective way. However, because of Canva’s versatility, it has also become a go-to solution for designers everywhere. This means the designs can be overused and sometimes easy to spot. So I encourage you to make any design you work on unique to your own or your organization’s style.
The Cloud
Adobe Creative Cloud offers A TON of programs for just about any type of design you could need. See if your college offers classes that teach you the basics in Adobe, or check out online courses through Adobe.com, LinkedIn.com, and Udemy.com. The three most common programs you are likely to use were mentioned at the beginning of this blog: Photoshop, Indesign, and Illustrator. All three of them have many similarities, but also many differences. Photoshop is mainly used for editing and manipulating images. Indesign focuses on the structuring of text with images. Illustrator works with vector-based art, a combination of shapes, lines, and curves to create images, like logos or computer art.
The Hard Part
Whether you’re using Canva or Adobe, combining elements to create a cohesive design can be a strenuous process. If you are designing for your organization, make sure you receive adequate direction and are following the brand guidelines. At GrandPR, we have specific fonts, colors, and text sizes that we use to put forward a unified vision. From there, or if you are just designing for fun, look on Pinterest for inspiration or try out different styles.
Designing can be a long and tedious process. Between edits from your team and your own brain telling you something is off-centered here, you are likely to spend a few hours on a design. Don’t feel discouraged, and continue to explore. It can take some time to feel comfortable presenting your ideas to others, but the only way to get better is to try. So you might as well have fun with it!
About Payton
Payton Peltomaa is a junior studying Advertising & Public Relations with a minor in Digital Studies. Payton currently works in Grand Valley's Development Office as a Communications Assistant. She has been involved with PRSSA for 2 years and is serving on the e-board as the Vice President of Programming. This is Payton's first year on the GrandPR staff where she serves as a Design Associate.